A four-year-old boy shot and killed his two-year-old cousin with a gun that was left unsecured in a car, according to police in Florida.
Osceola County Sheriff Chris Blackmon said during a news conference that officers responded Sunday afternoon to a home in Kissimmee, where they found a two-year-old boy with a gunshot wound.
“Emergency personnel provided life-saving measures to the child, who was transported to the Arnold Palmer Hospital, where later he was pronounced deceased,” Blackmon said.
The Osceola County Sheriff’s Office’s homicide unit was contacted and responded to the scene, he added.
“According to the investigation, the four-year-old family member located an unsecured firearm inside of the vehicle and discharged it, striking the two-year-old that was also inside the vehicle. The family had just arrived and were visiting here from Georgia,” Blackmon said. “The medical examiner’s office and the Department of Children and Families were notified.”
Blackmon revealed that the children were alone in the vehicle at the time of the incident.
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“Family members were outside of the car and had not yet entered the home when they heard a gunshot coming from inside the vehicle,” he said.
The gun was “literally in the open,” Blackmon said during the news conference.
“I would think if it’s in a holster, maybe make it harder for the child to manipulate, as well, but it’s literally laying out by itself. So it’s easy to grab, and you pull the trigger. And you can’t recall that, it’s not a video game,” Blackmon added. “You can’t hit reset and start over. Once you pull that trigger, that projectile is going somewhere. And this one hit a two-year-old and killed him.”
The Osceola County Sheriff’s Office identified the two-year-old boy who died as Brayden Tennyson of Louisville, Ga.
According to a GoFundMe page created by a family member, the family had travelled to the Orlando area to celebrate his third birthday.
“There are no words to describe the heartbreak our family is experiencing. What was meant to be a joyful vacation to Orlando to celebrate sweet Brayden’s 3rd birthday has turned into an unimaginable tragedy. Tomorrow should have been filled with birthday candles, laughter, hugs, and happy memories. Instead, those who love Brayden are left mourning the loss of a beautiful little boy whose life was taken far too soon,” the description on the page read.
“As Brayden’s mother navigates the most devastating loss a parent could ever endure, she is also faced with the unexpected expense of bringing her baby home so he can be laid to rest surrounded by family and friends who love him,” the page added, noting that “every donation” will go towards bringing the child home and “helping ease the financial burden.”
The GoFundMe post had raised more than US$12,000 of its $16,000 goal from more than 250 donations as of Thursday afternoon.
The investigation into the shooting remains ongoing and prosecutors are reviewing the case to determine whether criminal charges will be filed, according to Blackmon.
Firearm injuries were the leading cause of death among children and teens ages one to 19 in 2020 and 2021 in the U.S., according to data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
In May, the Osceola County Sheriff’s Office gave away numerous free gun locks in an initiative that supports responsible firearm storage and helps prevent accidents by ensuring firearms are properly secured.
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